Kilgore Collection

Drilling rigs - Churchyard - Kilgore, Texas, USA
" Oil be Damned!" Kilgore, Texas - drilling oilwells in a churchyard! Date: circa 1940

Rebecca Kilgore, 2002. Creator: Brian Foskett
Rebecca Kilgore, 2002

View of Downtown Kilgore, Texas, USA, with oil derricks. Date: 1940s

TEXAS: OIL WELL, 1939. Workers cleaning off the rotary table with water at a oil well in Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

TEXAS: OIL WORKER, 1939. An oil field worker drinking a bottle of milk during lunch at Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

TEXAS: OIL WELL, 1939. A slush pit from an oil well in Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

OIL WORKERS, 1939. Oil field workers eating lunch, Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

An oil field worker drinking water, Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939
TEXAS: OIL WORKER, 1939. An oil field worker drinking water, Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

TEXAS: OIL WORKER, 1939. Oil well worker controlling a portable winch to raise a drill pipe from a hole at Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

TEXAS: OIL WORKERS, 1939. Oil field workers reading the newspaper during a break at Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

Oil field workers talking at an oil well in Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939
OIL WORKERS, 1939. Oil field workers talking at an oil well in Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

An oil field worker resting on a pipe wrench at Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939
TEXAS: OIL WORKER, 1939. An oil field worker resting on a pipe wrench at Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

Oil derricks at Kilgore, Texas, in 1943
TEXAS: OIL WELLS, 1943. Oil derricks at Kilgore, Texas, in 1943

Workers loosening sections of pipe with clamps at an oil well in Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939
TEXAS: OIL WELL, 1939. Workers loosening sections of pipe with clamps at an oil well in Kilgore, Texas. Photograph by Russell Lee, April 1939

Steam boilers at oil well, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Oil field worker eating lunch, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Activity at oil well; man on lengths of traveling block will be pulled up to the crown block at top of derrick, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Clothing of oil drilling workers drying on steam pipe, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Oil roughnecks screwing one piece of drill pipe to another piece by means of a heavy pipe wrench, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Oil worker eating lunch. Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Oil field worker drinking a bottle of milk at lunch, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

Oil field workers adding a length of pipe to drill stream by means of heavy pipe wrenches, Kilgore, Texas. Date 1939 Apr

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"Kilgore: A Tale of Drilling Rigs and Oil Workers in Texas" Step back in time to Kilgore, Texas, USA, where the echoes of drilling rigs reverberate through the churchyard. In 1939, this bustling town was at the heart of America's oil industry. Captured by talented photographers like Russell Lee and Brian Foskett, these images offer a glimpse into the vibrant history that shaped Kilgore. Rebecca Kilgore's enchanting presence graced the streets in 2002 as she brought her melodic voice to this charming town. With her captivating performances echoing through downtown Kilgore, she added a touch of magic to its already rich tapestry. But let us rewind further back to 1939 when oil wells dominated the landscape. The hardworking men laboriously cleaned off rotary tables with water while others enjoyed their lunch breaks amidst slush pits and portable winches controlled by skilled hands. Even during those precious moments of respite, newspaper reading and conversations about life filled the air. Amidst it all stood an oil field worker savoring his bottle of milk or quenching his thirst with water from Kilgore's land. These simple acts were a testament to their dedication and resilience as they fueled America's thirst for energy. Today, we can only imagine what it felt like to be part of that era - witnessing both progress and challenges unfold before our eyes. As we look at these photographs frozen in time, we honor the spirit of those who built this community brick by brick. Kilgore remains etched in history as more than just a name; it symbolizes determination and unity that transformed an ordinary Texan town into an emblematic hub for oil production.